JOCKEYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 July 1920, Page 6

JOCKEYS

7-STONE MINIMUM

SUPPORTED BY CLERGY,

(For Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, July 26.

The Council of Churches to-night, on the motion of the Rev. J. J. North, carried the following resolution : “That i this Council of Churches calls the attention of the Government and of the public generally, to the inhumanity inflicted on jockeys by the present rules of racing. • The Council is convinced that the appeal of the jockeys, to have the minimum weight lifted from 6st 7 lbs to 7 stone, was one which every principle of humanity required should he granted. The cruelty of wasting down to such a weight as 6st 71bs is replusive :n the extreme. The Council notes that the Racing Conference, largely in the interests of the horses, refused justice and humane conditions to the men. The Council urges that the case is one for State action, and believes that the law should extend to the jockeys as much in protection as it extends to the brutes in the Cruelty to Animals Act.” Mr. Sharpe moved: “That we write to the Secretary of the Jockey s Association, expressing our sympathy with their object in forming a strong opposition.”

The Rev. Ready said it was not in the province of the Council to say that the jockeys should form a union. He was against the jockeys and their trade, and would not help to bolstei it up, either. If the jockeys wanted a union, let them paddle their own canoes. Eventually the motion was withdrawn. AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SCRATCHINGS

MELBOURNE, July 27. Biplane has been scratched for the Epsom and Metropolitan Handicap?-. Biplane and All Aboard were withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup, and All Aboard from the Caulfield Cup.